2010 MLB Draft big board

1. Bryce Harper, C
Harper has a chance to be a very special hitter and, based on his bat alone, is a legit No. 1 pick in almost any draft. Some will tell you that he should be moved from catcher so he has a better chance to reach his full potential offensively. Personally, if I drafted him I would find it difficult to move him, as he has the potential to be an impact player with his defense as well. Unless you are absolutely desperate for an arm, Harper is the unquestioned best talent in the draft.

2. Jameson Taillon, RHP
Taillon is the best high school arm in this class, and I would even rank him ahead of every member of last year’s top tier of prep arms. As with any pitcher his age, his control needs work, but he has a bona fide mid-90s fastball with solid movement and the makings for three strong supplemental pitches in his curveball, slider and change-up. He is considering college, but if he gets selected early (call it in the top 10) I would feel very confident in his signability.

3. Manny Machado, 3B/SS
Machado reminds me of Mike Moustakas entering the draft. He has a good, polished plate approach for his age, plus bat speed and above-average power potential for any position. But, just like Moustakas, Machado’s future is most likely at third base, where his bat may get lost in the crowd. Unless he takes off in much the same way that Moustakas did when he arrived on the scene. I wouldn’t put it past him.

4. Chris Sale, LHP
I like to describe Sale with two words: tenacious and crafty. Everything I have seen on him leads me to believe he is a tremendous competitor. He does a great job of mixing his three-pitch arsenal because he trusts every variation he throws. Every pitch has good polish and movement. He has faced weak competition for the most part, yet he has succeeded in every chance he has had against advanced competition. He doesn’t blow hitters away with velocity, and his arm slot looks a bit odd for a starter, but it’s hard to find much weakness with Sale.

5. Michael Choice, OF
Choice has some serious pop in his bat, perhaps even the best power potential in the draft. His swing has holes and needs to be cleaned up, but the potential is there for him to succeed as an overall hitter as well. His speed is an asset that will provide solid range in the outfield and the threat to steal bases in the future. He has the best upside of any four-year college hitter.

6. Kolbrin Vitek, OF/2B
Vitek has tremendous hitting skills and perhaps the quickest bat in the draft. His speed is on the plus side, but probably won’t be a major part of his offensive game. His power is the question mark. Defensively, he may be limited to a corner outfield position, and his power may not play there.

7. Zack Cox, 3B/2B
Much like Vitek, Cox is a very polished college hitter who sports plus bat speed. He looks like a future .300 hitter. And also just like Vitek, the offensive question Cox needs to face is his power potential. The only edge that Cox truly has over Vitek is the likelihood that he will stick at an infield position. Cox is a safe-bet selection with above-average, but not great, upside.

8. Deck McGuire, RHP
McGuire’s best asset is the sharp, consistent command he brings to his three-pitch mix, and his body and mound presence give off an intimidating vibe at times. He doesn’t have electric stuff or great upside, but he consistently pumps the strike zone, and he could help a big league club fairly quickly because of it. Eventually, he could settle in as a No. 2 starter if things go in his favor.

9. Karsten Whitson, RHP
Whitson is a skilled high school right hander with strong upside. His fastball is consistently in the low 90s now, occasionally touching the mid-90s, but his frame and work ethic suggest that there is room to grow. He has above-average feel for his slider and change-up now, and both pitches could be extremely dangerous down the road. His mechanics may need some tweaks and his control needs work, but Whitson is a firm top 10 pick in my book.

10. Yasmani Grandal, C
Grandal is reminiscent of Tony Sanchez from last year’s draft in that he really doesn’t do much for me from a skill set standpoint, yet he is expected to go in the top 10, possibly even top five. Looking back, I did underrate Sanchez last year, as he has the makeup to be an average big league catcher, so he has obvious value. Grandal has a similar feel. He has a bit more power than Sanchez, but also represents a downgrade in the bat speed and contact skills departments. Nevertheless, he should immediately jump into the game’s top 100 prospects as soon as he signs.

11. Stetson Allie, RHP
Allie may have the most electric fastball in this draft. Even though it may be relatively straight, his velocity is something I can buy into. But he has his downsides. His control is inconsistent and simply average at its best. His endurance and focus are questionable, leading many to feel that the bullpen is in his future. I like him, but I’m not betting the farm.

12. Drew Pomeranz, LHP
Pomeranz sits in the low 90s with his fastball and has a strong curveball and change-up. There are more concerns with him than one would like when investing a top draft pick. His command is frighteningly inconsistent, for one, and his arm action looks strangely robotic. And that robotic action doesn’t lend itself to much natural, consistent movement. Pomeranz gets a lot of hype, but he also has a lot of work to do.

Comments

So, is this a list by who is best, or by who the teams might pick? Looks like by the best, but that would be useful to know for sure.

I have read that Austin Wilson has Top 15 talent and that his potential is considered by some to be second only to Harper, but that the big question mark is whether he can hit. Some have compared to Heyward, except that he’s not in Heyward’s class. What are your thoughts on him?

John McCambridge, Xavier(Captain), Junior, 6’2”, 205, CF. 4th in D-1 steals 2009 as a Sophomore. Leadoff (Rick Henderson pain in the butt type). hits for nice average, just starting to hit for power. in 3 years will have all 5 tools. upside off the charts. Billy Beane most likely knows about him. CF, 2 errors all year, no errors in last 45 games. Mom was a 2X Olympic diver. Received another scholarship for being top Finance student at Xavier. Work ethic off the charts better than Nolan or Roger’s. Leader that is a game changer with his bat, speed, and glove. should go high in the draft.